Kingsmill moves into ‘heat and share’ bread market

16 June, 2006

Page 6

Allied Bakeries, part of Associated British Foods, is aiming to grab a piece of the chilled garlic bread market with the launch of Kingsmill-branded ‘heat and share’ ciabatta and flatbread products, made by fellow Allied com-pany Speedibake.

The products, including salsa and smokey BBQ ciabatta, cheese-topped doughballs and roasted garlic flatbread, are being launched in Morrisons supermarkets. However, Allied said it would introduce the range into the other major supermarkets.Jonathan Burr, Allied’s consumer marketing director, said: “As a concept, hot, flavoured breads are incredibly well received with the consumer and we have responded to this trend with the introduction of this range of Kingsmill Heat & Share breads.”
The launch comes against a backdrop of a 10% annual growth in sales of premium bread products, according to Allied. It said that the annual UK ciabatta market is now worth £7.3m and growing at 22% a year and the annual flatbread/tear-and-share market is worth £14.7m and growing at 44% a year.